When I hear "Gyped", I'll usually smile broadly and ask if the person knows the origin. Usually, they're surprised and horrified, and vow to not use it again. I'd leave the company of that person in a minute if they proclaimed to know the origin and still used it. It's gross.

I'm poking around and—unlike most of the other words we've discussed—all the sources I can find only say that it was probably a reference gypsies, but there's no direct evidence.

But hornswoggle and bamboozle are *more* fun to say with less ethnic slur!!

Sometimes you don't want to use so many syllables!

I'm fond of "temporarily-abled" to describe people who commonly think of themselves as not handicapped.

This thread has been very posty today!

I'm fond of "temporarily-abled" to describe people who commonly think of themselves as not handicapped.

Heh.

I try not to use loaded words, but as far as language used around me especially wrt disability, I tend to care more about the tone than the words themselves. Of course, that is difficult on the internet.

Damn. Lost a long post by closing a window by accident. I was responding to:

being someplace at a certain time, almost every day, dressed, showered, and functional, is virtually impossible for me, and my boss's understanding was wearing thin.

This is the situation I'm in.

I wanted to say that it's nice (as much as that's totally the wrong word) to be reminded that I'm not alone with that kind of can't-cope-with-life stuff. I just about handled it through five years of full-time work, with very variable levels of success, mostly thanks to some weirdly understanding employers. Becoming unable to deal with work physically, on top of mentally, was too much, and I now haven't worked more than a few hours a week for several years. Going back to school has been great, but that finishes in a few weeks, and I may have to look for paid employment again. This thought is making me very nervous.

Ha! A little on-topic, but hilariously Buffitastic!

Genius! Heh. Kids.

I'm fond of "temporarily-abled" to describe people who commonly think of themselves as not handicapped.

Yeah, TAB is a fun term. It has its uses, although I prefer 'non-disabled'. (But I'm, y'know, freaky.)

Reading Eoin Colfer's sequel to Douglas Adams' books. It's really, unexpectedly funny.

Sometimes, I hate you people. But in a good way! Because you give me all these thinky thoughts that make my skin itch and my conscience cringe. If the end result of all that discomfort, though, is that I grow as a person, I can't really complain. In fact, I thank all y'all for addressing such a complex subject and bringing so much erudition and politeness to the discourse.

Reading Eoin Colfer's sequel to Douglas Adams' books. It's really, unexpectedly funny.

My daughter is an Eoin Colfer fan.

Don't think we didn't notice.

I presumed you did, but I didn't use that particular phrase because of its historical usage, particularly on the right as a form of dismissal. (See what I did there?)

But I do think it's disingenuous to argue that liberals don't err on the side of inoffensive, highly qualified language. We may disagree there.

But if you use a term as a descriptor and someone says to you that they're offended by it, what would your reaction be? To explain to them why you think that using that term is important to the long-term health and vitality of language? Or would you say that your intent wasn't to offend and offer an apology?

To answer you directly: I would apologize.

So misers are greedy and niggardly people are stingy?

That's closer, I guess. Niggardly has the sense of, "I'm unwilling to share." Miserly has the sense of "I'm taking this and keeping it for myself." The effect is the same: bad at sharing. But the motive is different. Niggardly implies a sense of social obligation and resentment of it. It exists in response to want or need. Whereas you can be miserly all by yourself. (Stated that way, though, Scrooge is more niggardly.)

I wonder if there's a Christmas special about the Heat Niggard.

I wonder if there's a Christmas special about the Heat Niggard.

Man, that just sounds bad. You shouldn't use that word.

That does require a very precise enunciation.